Drunken Marriage
by BrownEyedGirl93
Summary: Sonny and Chad wake up one morning and find themselves hitched. But what happens when Chad wants to make it work? And CDC never takeds no for an answer. As much as she hates him, is Sonny willing to let this old flame back into her life?
1. hitched

**A/N: I got the idea for this story from **_**What I Like About You**_** when Vic and Val "accidentally" get married. It's really good; hope you enjoy it!**

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Damn.

I hate hangovers.

The bright morning light shone through my sky blue silk curtains making my head pound all over again. I wasn't even awake yet, and I could already tell it wasn't going to be a good morning. I pulled the eggshell-white covers over my head and groaned.

Today was the day after my official breakup with James. He was my whole world. We had dated once back when we were at Condor Studios. He was an ass. But after So Random ended, I got a part in a new romance movie called _Gone With Me_. Of course, James got to play my love interest. But he had matured a lot by then, and we ended up dating again for the whole six months of filming the movie, and we never got into a single fight. Well, other than our on-screen argument scenes, of course. I thought it was the perfect relationship.

And when we were filming the last scene, (the one where his character, Ricky, asks my character, Cici, to marry him) he purposely messed up his line and asked _me_ to marry him instead of Cici. I'd thought that was the sweetest thing ever, so naturally, I said yes. I should've known it was too soon to get married.

Long story short, we went to this fancy hotel in Las Vegas to get married. The preparations were all set and everything. Too bad James chose our wedding night to let me know he had "commitment issues" and couldn't go through with it.

So I handled it like a mature adult. I bailed on the wedding, went to some bar in Vegas and got wasted so I wouldn't feel the heartsplitting pain. I had never acted this impulsively before, and I was definitely regretting it. Oh, and I might have met another guy at the bar. I didn't remember.

I looked at my bathroom door, thinking I heard my shower running. Whatever. I was too tired to go check.

My head started to throb again. I pulled off the covers and brought my hands up to my temples. Suddenly, a sparkle on my hand caught my eye. Figuring it was nothing, (my eyes were barely open) I went back to massaging. The thing on my finger started scraping my forehead.

"Ow!" I moaned. That thing was hard!

I finally managed to pry my eyes open and look at my hand. And let me just say, what I saw could not have shocked me more.

A freaking _wedding ring._

I let out a piercing scream.

It was a gorgeous ring, no doubt, but still, a ring.

"Sonny! Are you okay?" Tawni burst in through my bedroom door, hair still perfect even after sleeping on my couch. When So Random had ended, I had practically begged Tawni to share an apartment with me so we could be "roomies." But she'd claimed that she "needed her space," so I ended up getting the apartment next to hers. I groaned. She'd probably stayed at my place tonight just to make sure I was okay. And I definitely wasn't.

"NO!" I screamed. "Just look at this!" I held up my hand.

Tawni's eyes widened.

"I got _married_!" I wailed.

"But I thought you and James broke up last night!"

"We did! And when you and everyone else was going home from the wedding, I went to a bar and got really drunk with some guy. I don't even know what happened!" I looked around frantically, trying to catch my breath.

Tawni scoffed. "Why is it that when _you_ get drunk, you get a husband, but when _I _get drunk, I just throw up?"

I couldn't believe her. _Was this really a time to joke around?_

"Well, at least he didn't come home with me," I grumbled.

"Oh, I think he did!" Tawni grinned and pulled a yellow post-it off my white wooden headboard.

"What's that?" I asked.

She started reading it out loud. "Hey, Sonshine! Crazy night, huh? I'm gonna use your shower, hope you don't mind. –your husband"

"So that's what the noise was," I looked at the bathroom door, kind of panicking.

'My husband?' Really? He couldn't have left a name? And "sonshine?" Come on, who still called me that? Well, James did, once or twice. My palms started to sweat. What if, in some crazy coincidence, it _was_ James? Was he going to beg for my forgiveness? Would I _ever_ be able to forgive him?

Suddenly the shower stopped and goosebumps Brailled up my arms. I quickly sat up in my bed and smoothed my hair down. It probably looked like a rat's nest.

"Who do you think it is?" Tawni whispered, tossing the note on the bed.

"I don't know; I was really drunk!" Wow, that just sounded so _unlike_ me. What was I turning into?

But I really didn't know.

"It's probably someone you know, or used to know, or he wouldn't have called you 'Sonshine,'" Tawni observed.

I had to admit, that was pretty smart for her.

"Yeah, I just wish I knew…" I whispered back. "But all I remember are his eyes…he had the most amazing—"

Suddenly the bathroom door opened revealing a shaggy blond-haired man in his mid-twenties. He looked very toned, even in his business suit. It took me a second to figure out who he was, but I'd know those sparkly blue eyes and that cocky grin anywhere. This was none other than Chad Dylan Cooper. Everything about this guy I'd tried to forget was coming back to me like the memories of an old crush when you heard a Taylor Swift song.

Tawni and I gasped in union. Chad just smirked. I remembered how he used to infuriate me with that smirk. It was all coming back to me. Had it really been five years since I'd seen this guy?

"Hey Tawni, long time, no see!" he chuckled. "I'm back from Paris! Oh, did Sonny tell you we got married?" He somehow seemed to find this amusing. "Well, I got a meeting with my agent now, so I'll let you two catch up. Feel free to talk about me while I'm gone," he said it like I was some schoolgirl who just couldn't wait to gush to my BFF about my first date.

"See ya later, _wife_." He winked at me and strolled out, closing the door behind him.

I was just so stunned I couldn't even speak. Tawni seemed to be in the same condition.

I couldn't believe it. I had married _Chad_, of all people. And he said he'd be _back_.

This was not going to end well.

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**A/N: so yeah, sorry there's not enough Chad in this chapter. And I know Sonny's a bit out of character. But what did u guys think? Should I continue this? Review!**

**Oh and just to throw it out there, I saw Falling For the Falls yesterday, and it was probably the best thing to come on Disney, like EVER. What'd you guys think?**


	2. thinking about him

**A/N: here's the second chapter. And for those of you that were confused, Chad was drunk too when this happened, so he did not take advantage of her. He just woke up next to her and realized they got hitched before she did, and he wants to make it work. Next chapter's in Chad's point of view, so that should make things clearer. Oh, and they didn't have sex yet. They just got married and crashed. :]**

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I stared at my finger again.

The ring seemed to stare back at me, taunting me with its sparkly-ness and cocky grin…wait, what? I must still be a little drunk. I looked down at the horrible black coffee Tawni had made for me. It tasted like crap, but of course, I pretended to love it since Tawni _rarely_ did anything nice for me. I was in the kitchen now, and Tawni was sitting on my black marble counter reading a glossy new issue of Tween Weekly with her face on the cover (of course).

"Nice rock, huh?" she mumbled without even glancing up. It was like she could read my mind or something. I glanced down at the ring again.

"Psh, I've seen better," I lied.

She seemed to see right through it. "Wasn't that the ring you'd showed me at the hotel boutique? You'd wanted James to get you that, right?"

I sighed. Of course she would remember that. The gorgeous, canary-yellow princess-cut glistening diamond was the most expensive piece in the whole store. So obviously, I wasn't going to make James get me that.

He'd decided on this huge tacky diamond with red rubies going all around it, and a gold band. Gold band, really? But I could tell he spent a lot of money on it, and he really loved me (or so I thought) so I didn't complain. But really, I thought it was a bit obnoxious and flashy for me. Even Tawni had said it was "too showy." I liked this elegant and classic ring better. It even sparkled like the sun.

"So?" I felt my voice risisng an octave higher than necessary. "It's from _Chad_," I said his name in that disgusted voice Tawni uses when she talks about trends that are "so last season."

Tawni fluffed up her loose blond curls. Combined with her bright pink halter top and French-designer booty shorts, she looked like a supermodel that just walked off the cover of _Playboy_. Then again, maybe she _had_. Tawni had been modeling in all sorts of stuff after So Random ended.

"You gotta admit, it's pretty gorgeous," Tawni finally looked up at me. I sighed. It really was. But I wasn't about to get caught up in the materialistic things Chad was throwing at me. If Tawni was in my place, she would've loved Chad right away. But I was better than that. He couldn't buy _my_ love. If he even wanted it.

"Well, that doesn't change the fact that it's from _Chad_," I said again.

"Come on Sonny. I know this sounds crazy, but maybe you should give him a chance!"

"Hey! He's a _jerk_, remember?" Had she completely forgotten about what he'd done to me the day before he left for Paris?

"Well, you haven't seen him in a long time; maybe he's changed! I saw him like, two years ago at the Teen Choice Awards and he seemed a lot nicer. He even asked how you were!"

Hearing that kinda made my heart stop. Did he still care? "Well, he has his moments," I said grudgingly, repeating the line he gave me when we danced together back at the disastrous So Random prom.

"So maybe you guys could make this work! I mean, let's face it, you're not married yet, and you're not getting any younger." Ugh. Did she _have_ to point that out?

"Neither are you!" I replied, trying not to choke on the rancid coffee.

"Well, you have fate on your side! God made you drunk and gave you a husband!" _Was she serious?_

"That's ridiculous."

"Come on, what are the odds of both of you being at the same bar in Vegas on the same night? And now, you have a great story to tell!" God, she was getting so excited about this. _Why couldn't it have been her?_

"Whatever." I squeezed my eyes shut.

Tawni went back to reading her magazine, sensing I didn't want to talk about this anymore. I knew I was being rude, but I couldn't help it. I had started thinking about Chad again. That was something I'd forbade myself to so since the night he left for Paris. Thinking about him just led to pain. But now, I let my mind wander and flash back to another memory about him…

We were alone in my dressing room at Condor Studios, arguing about how much I _didn't_ like him. Again.

"Come on, Monroe. I'm leaving for Paris in like, three days. Just admit it; you like me." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

No way. Just because he was cute and had sparkly eyes didn't mean—oh my God. He was doing that thing with his eyes again. I just couldn't help getting lost in them, and it drove me crazy every time.

"What if I don't make it back? You'll regret not saying it. And you know it's true." He stepped a little closer to me.

"Psh, no way!" My voice rose a little higher as I started backing to the door. I had to be more convincing than that. "I bet I could kiss you right now and I wouldn't feel _anything_."

Oh God. Of all things, I just had to say _that_. The most cliché and overused TV line _ever_. Now he probably thought I was just craving for him to kiss me, and I'd just found the perfect excuse.

"Really Sonny, really?" His obnoxious voice sent an electric pulse through my brain. He had me against the door, and I felt the bottoms of my feet starting to tingle. Somehow, I could just feel what he said in my bones before he said it.

"We'll see…" he whispered in my ear. Then his lips gently crashed onto mine. And with that, everything was gone. That simple gesture made me forget every horrible thing he'd done to me. Every time he'd acted like a jerk. It was all gone. For a while, I forgot my name. _Who was I kidding? Of course I liked him. I always have. _

He pulled away after a few seconds, causing my stomach to drop. "You like me now?" he whispered, smiling slightly.

I knew I should tell him, but something inside me just stopped me from saying it. "You're the worst," I looked down, almost ashamed to say it. I felt my cheeks heat up when I realized my arms were still wrapped around his neck. I quickly dropped them by my sides.

A look of hurt spread across his face. "Shut up, Monroe," he mumbled, also looking down.

"_You_ shut up." Then, like the crazy person he makes me, I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back down until he started kissing me again. And it would've gone on like that if Tawni hadn't walked in. we tried to act like nothing was going on, but I could tell she saw right through it from our blushing faces and messed-up hair.

I couldn't help but smile when I thought of that. Then came the bad memory.

The next three days had been a little awkward, but I thought I was finally ready to tell him how I felt on the night before he left. I was hoping he'd kiss me again, since it seemed like the only appropriate way to say goodbye. He was always flirting with me, and he'd hugged me before, but now I thought he'd kiss me since I wasn't going to see him for a while.

It turned out it was going to be more than a while. I knew he was going to be in Paris filming some Mackenzie Falls movie, so I thought he'd be back in six to nine months. Turns out, they were actually making a whole _series_ of movies there, and he was going to be gone for five years.

He also picked that moment to tell me he was dating his co-star, Portlyn. Then he said he only kissed me to see if I liked him. And suddenly, I was _glad_ I hadn't told him how I felt. He'd kissed me when he knew he was going to be gone for five years, _and_ he was dating someone else. _Jerk_.

I felt a stinging sensation behind my eyes. This was why I hated thinking about him. No. I bit my lip. I was _not_ going to cry over him again. And no, I was not going to give him a chance.

This "marriage" was going to end _today_.

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**A/N: Yeah, I know, Chad's a jerk. Don't worry, he'll explain later. **

**So who's liking this story so far? Want me to continue? Review! **

**And who saw Falling For the Falls part dos? Definitely better than the first one. What'd you guys think?**


	3. what have I done?

**A/N: I apologize in advance for the long-awaited update. Life is painful, isn't it? :P**

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I couldn't believe what I'd just gotten myself into.

I had just married Sonny Monroe. And after what we'd been through, she'd probably want a divorce. Great. I would look like one of those rotten Hollywood celebrities who got drunk all the time and thought of marriage as no big deal. Then people would think twice before casting me in movies. My career would be over, and my life would flash before my eyes.

Okay, so maybe I was being a bit melodramatic (as usual), but I wouldn't be surprised if that stuff happened. So right now, I had to work on keeping the paparazzi under control. Some stupid reporter had managed to get a picture of me slipping the ring on Sonny's finger. Now the media was going crazy because they didn't even know we were ever engaged, and now we'd just gotten married. The rumors had started like wildfires. I didn't look too drunk in the picture, but still…it was only a matter of time before everyone found out it was a drunken mistake.

I met with my agent, Jeff, but he was no help. He just yelled at me for doing something so completely reckless without even thinking about how it would affect my future. It reminded me of the time my dad yelled at me when one of my ex-girlfriends thought she was pregnant with my baby. Not my most pleasant memory. Thank God I didn't have a kid now, that would've made this an even bigger mess.

Then Jeff told me it wouldn't look as bad if I waited a few months and _then_ got a divorce, as opposed to just doing it now. At least that way, people wouldn't think I was drunk when I got married. Made sense to me. But if Sonny didn't want to wait a few months…I shuddered at the thought. Then Jeff told me to talk to my lawyer and go over all the legal marriage stuff.

"Oh, and Chad," he called to me before I left. "You gotta really charm this girl. Act like a happy couple. The press will move on. And don't do anything stupid, _please_." He seemed exasperated.

"Don't worry, I got this." I lied. I smiled weakly when I remembered my attempt to "charm her" this morning. I left her a note, I called her Sonshine, and even gave her my sexy Chad-tastic wink. She didn't seem amused. She just looked shocked, and not in a good way.

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I sighed. Waiting outside my lawyer's office took forever! I looked at the antique wooden clock by the unlit fireplace. The seconds seemed to drag on for hours. I put my feet up on the marble coffee table and drummed my fingers along the plush cream-colored leather of the couch. Hopefully Sonny would still be awake by the time I got back. Maybe then I could finally talk to her about this whole thing.

Suddenly my stomach started to churn. What if she still hated me? What if she didn't want to put on a happy face for the press? I knew she didn't care about how the public saw her as much as I did. I would have to seriously charm her—as Jeff said—if I was going to make this work. Wow. That was gonna be really hard to do, considering what happened between us the last time we were together (and sober).

It was the night before I left for Paris…she'd come over to say goodbye, and I remembered feeling like my heart was going to shatter. I'll admit I did like her—for a while. But it had been five years since I'd seen her. I'm no Bella Swan, so I was able to get over her (eventually). Not that I know anything about Twilight, that was just a guess. I had dated a lot of pretty girls in Paris, but I'd never thought about marrying any of them. Then again, I never thought I would marry Sonny, either.

But when she'd stopped me outside my studio that day before I left, I felt so overwhelmingly drawn to her, it kind of scared me.

"Chad!" she'd called out to me. "Wait up!"

I smiled, glad she'd finally got over that awkwardness from when we'd kissed the other day. I looked at my cast members, who were busily packing our remaining suitcases and Mackenzie Falls props into the already-overstuffed could probably handle that on their own. I tried to walk oh-so-casually over to Sonny, secretly thrilled that she cared enough to say goodbye to me.

"Hey," I said breathlessly when I reached her.

"Hey yourself," she wrapped her arms around me.

"I can't believe I'm not gonna see you for five years," I blurted out, hugging her back.

She quickly pulled away, and I felt my stomach drop. "Five _years_?"

I knew I should've told her how I felt, but she didn't seem like she'd be thrilled at the idea of a long-distance relationship. To be honest, I wouldn't have been too happy about it either.

"Why would you kiss me right before you left for five _years_?" She was practically screaming at me now.

I shrugged. "I just wanted to see if you liked me." Whoa…that came out all wrong. I liked her too!

She frowned, obviously misinterpreting what I said. I wanted to tell her how I felt so badly…but I just couldn't. I knew she had big plans for the future, and so did I. We didn't need to spend five years dwelling on what could've been.

Still, I didn't wanna say goodbye like this…that would just be parting on bad terms. And CDC just didn't do that. I'd even told Nico and Grady that I'd miss all our crazy prank wars.

"So…" I shifted uncomfortably. "I guess this is it…" I cringed at my own words. She was still frowning, looking all hurt and confused. Not to mention cute. _Stupid cute._

"I'll miss you, Sonny," I mumbled. _Finally_…I said _something_ right. Now she was biting her lip, looking like she was trying to decide something. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath, waiting for her to say something back. But then, just when she opened her mouth to say something, I heard Portlyn's annoyingly high-pitched voice screeching at me from the limo.

"Chad Dylan Cooper! If you're like, gonna be my boyfriend, the least you could do is not keep me all waiting and stuff every time we have to go somewhere!"

Oh God…she still wasn't letting that go. My other castmates snickered into their palms. Ever since our producer had made that joke about how Portlyn and I should date just for publicity, that stupid girl had taken it literally and started calling me her "boyfriend." I had never bothered to argue with her or correct her, because my castmates all thought it was funny. Plus, she kind of scared me when she got mad.

Cringing, I turned my head slowly to glance at Sonny. I didn't even want to look at her face now. If she'd been mad about me not liking her before, this would set her off even more. But maybe she hadn't heard Portlyn…oops. Maybe she had. Her eyes narrowed, and I could practically see the flames coming out her nose.

"You were dating _her_…and you _kissed_ me?" She looked livid with anger. Suddenly, the name "Sonny" didn't seem to suit her much. I whipped my head around to make sure Portlyn hadn't heard, then I turned back to her and lowered my voice, almost pleading.

"I'm not really dating her…" I struggled to find the right words. "It was a joke!" I wondered if I sounded as guilty as I felt. I looked into her disbelieving eyes and felt my heart sink. I wanted to panic, but I just couldn't do that anymore…I felt like it was all over for good. She just shook her head and her lips twisted into an I-can't-believe-you smirk. I could tell she was hurt; I just didn't know what the hell I was supposed to say. Again. Damn it!

"Everything's just a big joke to you, isn't it?" She wasn't screaming, but her voice sounded much harsher all of a sudden. I had never seen her so full of scorn. I knew I had really screwed up this time. She took one last look at me and gave a frustrated sigh. Then she started walking away before I could even stop her. Weird thing was, I didn't even try. Usually, I was the type of guy that never gave up. But this time, the pain had cut so deep; I thought I had lost her forever.

I winced in pain at that horrible memory. I laid by head back on the couch and closed my eyes. It had been so long since I'd thought about that. The first few nights in Paris had been horrible. Sonny came in my dreams almost every night, usually ready to kill herself. It scared me to death every time. I just couldn't let go of her. Our director had complained time and time again that I wasn't motivated enough. A thousand times, I had thought about calling her just to tell her how much I missed her. Of course, I chickened out every time.

My castmates thought I had gone crazy from working so hard, and they made me come party with them every Friday night. I started drinking, and they started hooking me up with all these gorgeous French models. (Hey, some of them actually had nice personalities!) It took a while, but eventually, I was able to get over Sonny.

And now, just when I had _completely_ gotten over her, there she was, back in my life again. Not only that, I also had to "charm her" and _keep_ her in my life. At least for a few months. I gulped. It was gonna take a _lot_ of work to charm my way out of this one.

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**A/N: so yeah…review! **

**Also, I have some **_**very**_** exciting news. So I'm gonna be a bitch and brag about it: I got into a creative writing summer program at Columbia University! Yep, Ivy League Columbia. I mean, I know my writing's good, I just never thought it was **_**that**_** good. So if any of you wise-asses out there think you can write better than me, apply to Columbia! You just might get in. ;)**

**Anyway, next chapter's in Chad's point of view. And keep reviewing; you guys are the best reviewers ever. You make me really **_**want**_** to update more. **


	4. wakin' up in Vegas

**A/N: Hey, thanks guys, for wishing me luck at Columbia. But the program's next year, so I'll be free to continue this fic over the summer. Well, I'll try. I still have to take a few online courses over the summer. Apparently, they look good on my college application. (As if getting into Columbia didn't look good enough!)**

**So yeah, if the updates ever take too long, you guys can blame my parents for raising me to be an overachiever. : ]**

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"Chad Dylan Cooper," my lawyer, Nikita, suddenly said my name as if she'd just realized something.

"Do you realize that you're "Hollywood's Hottest Hearthrob," and this is your first time being married?" The air quotes she put around the Triple H seemed to mock me for some reason. That was the name given to me by almost every celebrity magazine, and it was a constant source of fuel for my already-massive ego. But now, it seemed a bit condescending, like a toy you loved when you were a kid that made people laugh when they realized you still had it.

I just shrugged. "I'm surprised," she mused. Her slight Russian accent seemed to grow thicker with each word she spoke. "Well, I hope it works out," she said, pushing her thick black glasses up the bridge of her nose. I had no idea what to say to that. Nikita and I had just spent the last hour—or hours, I didn't even have time to check the time—discussing the legal marriage stuff. Apparently, we couldn't get a divorce unless both people signed the papers. I knew I wasn't going to sign them, at least not yet. But how to keep Sonny from biting my head off in the meantime, that was the question…

"Well, you have a nice day, Mr. Cooper," Nikita's sharp lawyer-like voice scattered my thoughts, and I realized I was free to go.

"Oh!" I said hastily, picking up my jacket. I must've looked like an idiot. "Thanks again. You too, Nikita," I said quickly. She looked up from her papers and glared at me. Her face looked dark under the shadow of her raven-haired updo. "Uh, Nikki…" I corrected myself before closing the door gently behind me. I never understood why she didn't let me call her by her full name.

I walked out of her office and hurried to my limo, instantly regretting bringing the black one. It must've heated up like crazy by now. I felt the sun beating down on me as I crossed the empty parking lot. I cursed under my breath at the fact that I had to wear a _suit_ when it was like, ninety degrees out. I felt instantly relieved when I opened the limo door and felt the cool blast of air whooshing out of the vents. I hesitantly told my driver to take me back to Sonny's apartment. But more than anything, I really wanted to go back to my place and change. I felt like I hadn't been at my mansion in ages. Right now, the indoor pool sounded like heaven to me.

Groaning, I kicked at a duffel bag to give myself some more leg room and put my head in my hands. I hadn't even had time to drop off all my luggage from Paris. Basically, when I'd gotten Tawni's call, I'd rushed right over to the bar in Vegas. But let me back up just a bit…

...

My plane had just landed from Paris, and my castmates and I were pacing around the LA airport trying to call our limo drivers and avoid the paparazzi at the same time. We were also trying to avoid each other. After spending five years together, we were pretty much ready to pull each other's hair out. Nobody wanted to admit it, but that was the reason we hadn't taken the private jet. We had all opted to sit in a huge plane with a bunch of other people, as far away from each other as possible.

I was about to go straight home, until I got a call from Tawni, of all people. I was surprised she still had my number. I didn't know what to think of that. Figuring it must be important, I picked up.

"Hey, I hear you're back from Paris!" Her shrill voice echoed through my phone.

"Yeah, just got back today…" I wondered where she was going with this.

"Bet ya missed Sonny, right?" her tone sounded a little scornful, like she was sneering at me. I didn't even know how to answer that. _Of course I had_. But why did she wanna know?

"Uh, I guess," I replied cautiously. Wow, that was an understatement.

"Well, she missed you too. Oh, and she just broke up with James…" she trailed off.

"O-kay…" I didn't know what to say next. Was she trying to set us up or something? I mean, I'd missed her at first, but now I'd gotten completely over her. I remembered hearing about Sonny's engagement to James on E! news and being completely heartbroken. There was no way I was going back to her after everything she'd put me through.

"Anyway, she said something about going to the Planet Hollywood bar, in case you wanted to stop by and talk to her…you know, if you're in the neighborhood." I could practically hear her smirking though the phone.

Suddenly all my hatred and pent-up anger toward Sonny seemed to melt away. I wanted to see her now more than ever. I didn't really want to start a relationship, but seeing her again might do me some good.

Maybe if I could just talk to her, laugh with her, then give her a hug goodbye; I would finally be able to forgive her for all those sleepless nights of agony in Paris and move on. And if she could forgive me for being such an idiot before I left, that'd be even better. Then I could live the rest of my life without feeling guilty about that.

"Oh, we're in Las Vegas, by the way." Tawni clarified, interrupting my thoughts.

"Gee, thanks for the heads-up," I mumbled sarcastically. How did she expect me to get all the way from LA to Vegas and Sonny would still be there?

"Fine, you don't have to come if you don't want to. But she's about to get really drunk. I just thought she should have someone with her. You know, so she doesn't do anything stupid that she might regret."

"So why can't you go with her?" I asked warily. I could feel myself starting to cave. Just the thought of some idiot taking advantage of a really drunk Sonny was enough to make my teeth clench.

"Because…well, see, I met this guy here, and he's so amazing!" I sighed. I could picture her flipping her hair as she talked.

"His name is Ronnie," she squealed and went on, completely oblivious to the fact that I didn't give a rat's squiggly ass.

"So like, he's a guitar player and yeah…" she trailed off, probably sensing my impatience.

"Well, to make a long story short, he's coming home with me tonight. So we're gonna leave now. And everyone else already left when they heard the wedding was cancelled. But don't worry, I'm sure Sonny will be just fine by herself. See ya!" And with that, she hung up before I could get out a single 'but.'

_That manipulative bitch!_ Tawni knew I wouldn't want anyone to take advantage of Sonny, so she'd decided to call me and make me go all the way to Vegas and watch Sonny just so she could go home and shack up with her new boyfriend. Or whatever he was.

Manipulative bitch or not, I knew I had to be there for Sonny. Tawni sure as hell wasn't gonna do it. She'd probably expect me to be halfway there by now. But it would take _at least_ five hours to drive to Vegas, and then I'd probably be too late. I panicked. _Now what the hell was I supposed to do?_

_..._

The receptionist must've seen me frantically pacing around the airport, because she stopped and stared at me. "Hey, aren't you Chad Dylan Cooper?" she asked in a friendly voice.

"That's me," I replied, popping my collar and getting temporarily distracted by the perky blonde in front of me.

"Hi, I'm Linda! I love you as Mackenzie on your show," she giggled and hooked a blond curl around her index finger.

"Thanks," I mumbled, trying to smile. But my mind had gone back into the "Sonny"-zone, which was more of a dark, depressing zone.

She started rambling on about how much she loved my latest movie, and I pretended to listen.

"Well, anyways," she seemed to realize that I looked preoccupied and caught herself. "We're glad you decided to fly with Northwest airlines today. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you." She flashed me a blindingly white smile. It was amazing how she managed to sound so professional yet slightly suggestive at the same time. That was when it hit me.

"Actually, could you put me on the next flight to Las Vegas, please?" I asked smoothly. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought before. I was in an airport and the thought of flying there had never even crossed my mind. _Really, me, really?_

"Uh, sure…" she faltered. Her dark brows creased slightly, and I could tell she was upset.

"Somethin' wrong?" I had to ask. I hated how thinking of Sonny made me go all soft.

The girl's glossy pink lips seemed to be somewhere between a pout and a half-smile. "Nothing, it's just that I was kinda hoping you were free tonight. I heard that you broke up with Camilla when you left Paris, so I thought maybe I'd ask you out," she looked at me hopefully with those big brown eyes (hey, just like Sonny…oh shit, Sonny…) I shook the thought from my head. Tempting, but no.

"Sorry, it's kind of an emergency. But hey, maybe I'll be free Friday night," I winked. What the heck, why not? It's not like I was planning to ask Sonny out or anything…

After giving the girl my number, I raced down the escalator (not as fun as it sounds when you're shoving past people) and told my limo driver to take my luggage and drive to the Planet Hollywood bar in Vegas as fast as he could to pick me up. He was not pleased. At least, I didn't think he was shouting any happy words as I raced back up and caught the flight to Vegas just in time.

On the fifty-five minute flight, I couldn't help but wonder how Sonny was doing. I knew she'd be crushed over her right-before-the-wedding breakup, but show did she feel about me? Would she still be mad at me? Would she even wanna talk to me? What if seeing her again would make me spiral into another period of depression?

Boy, was I glad I'd made a date with that cute receptionist earlier. Or was she an air hostess? Whatever. Either way, I'd have someone else to go to. There was no way I was gonna let Sonny break my heart _again_. Plus, Lindsey was really sweet and she seemed so eager (not to mention nervous) to go out with me, so why not? …Hmm, her name _was_ Lindsey, right? Great. I'd already forgotten her name. But still, this was good. Now that I have someone else, I won't feel the burning desire to reconcile with Sonny when I saw her. She'd hurt me enough for one lifetime.

...

As soon as I got off the plane, I took a cab (see that? I didn't even bother waiting for a limo) straight to the Planet Hollywood bar. As soon as I got to the door, I felt my stomach drop with nervousness and guilt at the thought of seeing Sonny again after so many years.

I made my way inside, going past all the models in slinky cocktail dresses (that I normally would've ogled) and looked around for the one person that had made my life hell for the past five years. I was running out of luck. It was a huge elegant hotel bar, and Sonny was nowhere to be found.

Lady Gaga's _Alejandro _was plaing softly in the background. _Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch..._

I hustled past some Ryan Seacrest look-alike in a Nigahiga "fatality" shirt, probably something _he_ thought was funny. …Hmm, he seemed like a So Random fan. Maybe he knew where Sonny was.

"Hey dude, have you seen Sonny Monroe here?" I asked, grabbing his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, check the bar stools in the back corner. But she looked pissed, so I wouldn't ask for an autograph until she's drunk. She looked really hot, though!" he chuckled.

"Thanks," I rolled my eyes.

I headed to the back of the bar and braced myself. There she was, sitting on the red leather bar stool under the glow of the crystal chandelier. She looked absolutely angelic, even though she was gulping down a shot of God-knows-what.

Her gorgeous dark locks were now straight and flowed in perfect layers down her back. She was wearing a dark purple halter dress (thank God she'd changed out of her wedding gown) and she looked drunkenly pleased yet totally wistful. Maybe now wasn't the best time to talk to her…

I could feel myself chickening out. But then she looked right at me and squinted, probably doing a double take and trying to see if it was really me. My heart nearly flipped right out of my chest. There was no turning back now. I put on my confident face and gave her a little wave.

"Sonny? Is that you? Wow, you look incredible!" Might as well start off with a compliment, even though I had no idea how she'd take it. I almost feared her response. I expected her to lash out at me, but her face was actually half-smiling.

"Well, you look…hold on, stand still," she slurred. My heart sank. She was already drunk. No wonder she was being so nice to me. But still, I had to keep talking to her. She needed me. And I needed her to keep being nice to me, so I could convince myself I was forgiven and get her out of my head.

"So, here we are," I began nervously, sitting on a bar stool next to hers.

"Yeahhh…can you believe it? Of all the places in the world, here we are, at the same time…" she trailed off with this faraway look in her eyes.

"Um, yeah. Crazy, huh?" Well, it wasn't exactly fate. But still…

Then she turned and looked me in the eyes for the first time in five years. Wow…I'd never realized how deep those eyes were. Maybe I had, but now I didn't remember. Not to sound overly cheesy, but I felt like a blind man looking into the sun for the first time. Okay, never mind, that did sound cheesy.

"Wow, Chad, you're still so _pretty_," she sighed. My heart started to race again._ Get a hold of yourself, Chad, she's drunk! _Why did I have to keep reminding myself that?

I could've said the same thing about her, and so much more. But no, I came here to talk. I wasn't gonna hit on her while she was drunk.

"Yeah, well, everything's prettier when you drink, right?" I laughed nervously.

She laughed too. Then we decided to share a little martini…okay, maybe not so little. The glass was the size of my head, (go ahead, make fun) and came with two straws. We gulped it down in mere minutes. Anddd I don't remember much after that. I was drunk, she was even more drunk, and we were actually having a good time. We were laughing, reminiscing, and just enjoying each other's company.

By the time that monster martini had started to wear off just a little bit, I noticed I had the plastic umbrella from our drink behind my ear. I couldn't remember who had put it there, me or Sonny. Suddenly, I thought I heard Justin Bieber performing live in the hotel, but it was just the TV in the corner.

Somebody had changed the channel to Tween Weekly TV, and the kid's still-squeaky voice was pouring out of the speakers. They were doing an interview, asking about the girls in his life. When they asked about Taylor Swift, he claimed that she was "too old and definitely too tall for him." I rolled my eyes, grunting in disbelief.

"Oh no! Now all his older fans are gonna go breakin' off their legs so they don't scare him away!" I couldn't help myself. That little cupcake is just so easy to make fun of!

Sonny laughed and leaned against my shoulder. Justin Bieber went on about how Miley Cyrus just wasn't his type. Sonny rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, like she'd really dump Liam or whatever trophy guy she has at the moment and go rushing right over to him if he said she _was _his type," Sonny tossed down another martini. Wow. She was funny even when she was drunk! She finished with a huge "ahhh" and looked at me with glazed-over eyes and a content smile on her pretty face. Then just out of the blue, she popped the question.

...

"Will you marry me?"

And at that moment, every ounce of rational thinking I had just went out the window. I had absolutely no inkling that this wasn't a very good idea. I was taken aback for about two seconds, but the alcahol was still in my system, so I quickly recovered.

"Uh, sure! Lemme just get you a ring…"

...

Boy was I an idiot.

"Mr. Cooper, we're here," my limo driver's gruff voice jostled me out of my appalling flashback. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times, surprised to find myself outside Sonny's apartment. Now I had to go inside and deal with my new _wife_.

_Oh, Shit!_

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**A/N: So yeah, sorry this story's been mostly flashbacks so far. I know I'm creating too much suspense and you guys probably want to see Sonny and Chad finally talk about the marriage. Don't worry, that part's coming in the next chapter. And sorry about the comments if you guys are fans of Justin Bieber. I'm not much of a hater, but I just love making fun of him :) And he actually said that stuff about Miley and Taylor, so I thought I'd throw that in. **

**And thanks again for all the reviews. They totally made my day. :)**

**Oh, and if you guys could review and tell me what are some of the best channy stories on this site (that are COMPLETE), that'd be awesome. I need some inspiration. **


	5. love once, marry once

**A/N: Shout out time! I'd just like to say thanks to ALL my reviewers, especially…**

**MirandaKP for reviewing every chapter with awesome comments,**

**TheirDiamonds, penguin0dreamer, MirandaKP, and Sara777 for suggesting those awesome stories,**

**XxBOOKWORM1207xX for saying I'm a talented writer,**

**CutiePie for saying my writing's the best you've seen on fanfiction (I've seen better, but thanks, that means a lot!)**

**And AllisonCooper. for saying this story has so much potential. That just makes me wanna write more!**

**And thanks to everyone, really. Enjoy this chapter!**

**

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**

I looked at Sonny's door nervously, hoping she hadn't locked me out. It was getting dark outside, and she'd probably gone to sleep by now. Honestly, I hadn't expected to be out for this long. I had to bribe the doorman with an autographed picture to let me in the building. I jiggled the metal door handle. Locked.

I cursed under my breath. Then a door creaked open slowly behind me, nearly scaring the shit outta me. A blonde girl in a fluffy pink bathrobe emerged.

"Tawni? What the hell?" I rubbed my tired eyes.

"Looking for something?" she dangled a silver key in my face. "Sonny gave me her spare key when she went on vacation. Looks like you need it more than I do," she smirked.

"Shut up. This is all your fault, you know," I gritted my teeth.

"You're the one that decided to get buzzed with her," Tawni let out a small laugh.

"Just gimme the keys." I was beginning to get exasperated.

"Okay," Tawni tossed them at me. "Just make sure you sleep on the _couch_, though…wouldn't want Sonny to freak out even more," she said, still seeming slightly amused.

I caught the keys and rolled my eyes. Did she really think I'd try to get in bed with her, especially when she didn't even know I was in the house?

"Tawni, baby, what's takin' so long?" a husky voice behind her asked.

"Oh, Ronnie, this is Chad Dylan Cooper," she gestured toward me.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes again. Did I really need an introduction? Everyone knew who I was.

The cross between Trace Cyrus and Pete Wentz stared back at me. Funny, I never thought Tawni would be into the punk-rocker type. Just mix in some emo-douchebaggyness, some lip rings (and various other facial piercings), a crappy singing voice, and voila! You had Tawni's new boyfriend.

"Congrats, dude…I heard you got married," he said.

"Uh, thanks," I said, jiggling the key and finally getting the door open. Thank God!

"Come on, Ronnie, let's go back to bed," Tawni said, smaking her new beau's butt.

"Thanks for the nightmares," I rolled my eyes once they'd disappeared.

I nearly tripped in the dark and finally found the couch. God…I couldn't believe I had to sleep on the _couch_. Chad Dylan Cooper _never_ sleeps on the couch. But I knew the worst was yet to come.

Tomorrow, I had to charm Sonny Monroe.

* * *

**Sonny's Point of View:**

It was noon. Fucking noon! And the worthless pile of crap on my couch still hadn't gotten up.

Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. But it's not like he didn't deserve it! I was just glad Tawni had texted me and told me he was there; otherwise, I would've totally freaked out.

I had called my lawyer yesterday while he was gone, and I'd gotten the marriage annulment papers.

Now all he had to do was sign them, and we could just pretend this whole thing never happened.

If he ever decided to get the hell up.

I was sure the press would go crazy, but dealing with them would be way better than being stuck with him.

I'd had enough of this.

I walked over to the back of the couch and kicked the back of it. Hard.

He didn't budge.

"GET UP!" I finally screamed in his ear.

I think I startled him, because he nearly fell off the couch. He finally sat up and looked at me with those dazzling blue eyes. They looked even bluer now since he was still wearing the navy suit from his meeting yesterday.

"Well, good morning to you too," he grumbled, trying to smooth the wrinkles out of his shirt.

"Finally! I've been waiting forever!" I stressed.

"Yeahh, I bet you have," he winked.

"Chad, please, I'm not in the mood."

"Yeah? What are you in the mood for?"

Wow. He hadn't changed at all. This had to end, _now_.

"You to sign these annulment papers," I said patiently, holding them up.

"Whoa, hold on girl, you really want this marriage to end? You want a divorce?" he said it like it was a curse, and put his hand over his heart. "That really hurts."

Wow. I'd almost forgotten how much of a drama queen he could be.

"No, I want an annulment. That means it will be completely erased. It would be like we were never even married." I said venomously.

"Ouch. You're feisty in the morning, I like it!"

"Stop liking me!" I was beginning to get exasperated. "Look, please just make this end…" I shoved the papers at him, even clicking a pen in the process.

"I can't, Sonshine…" he sighed.

Great. He was still in "Mackenzie-mode." Time for Plan B.

"Fine…if you're not gonna sign the papers, then just leave."

"Yeah, I kinda can't do that either," he winced.

"Uh, yeah, you can! Remember how you came in? Just reverse it!" I swear, I was so close to losing it just then…

Was it too much to ask that the guy who'd kissed me and then ditched me five years ago should just leave me alone now?

"Come on, Sonny, why can't I stay? Marriage is kind of a big deal for me. My mom and have been married for over twenty-five years, my grandparents have been married for God knows how long, and they're still in love!" he protested.

"Oh, how sweet," I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his family history lesson. Okay, it was actually kind of touching. I just wasn't sure if I bought it. "But I bet _they_ never got wasted when they made that decision!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but that's just how I was raised. Love once, marry once." He shrugged.

"Oh, right. And I get this from '_Hollywood's Bad Boy_,'" I quoted.

"It's true! Why do you think I haven't been married yet? I'm waitin' for just the right lady," he grinned.

"Oh, really? And how's that working out for ya?" I shot back.

"Okay, I know you might still be mad about what happened five years ago, but come on—"

"Psh, like I even remember what happened five years ago." I cut him off. There was no way I was gonna let him know I was still upset about that.

"Oh…so we're good?" he smiled hopefully.

"Oh, we're so good."

"So, you'll give this whole marriage thing a chance?"

"NO!" I yelled. Wait…did he actually want to be married to me? I couldn't help but wonder…was this really just about keeping up his family history? Or did he actually like me? Or was it something else entirely?

"Why not?" he asked incredulously. Like it was the weirdest thing in the world that someone _didn't_ wanna marry him.

"Because…" I faltered, trying to think of a good reason. Noting came to mind.

He smirked. God, I hate that stupid smirk.

"Because that's just not how it's done! People _date_ before they get married." Yes! I finally thought of something! I frowned, wondering why I didn't think of that sooner.

"So, if I left, would you go on a date with me?"

"No! 'Cause you're a jerk!" I pouted.

"Well then I'm staying," he smirked again.

"Ugh!" man, I wish I could've answered that differently.

I stormed into the kitchen. This problem wasn't going to go away by itself. I could try calling the police…but then the press would jump to conclusions. Ugh…it looked like I was stuck with him after all.

I opened the fridge and pulled out a root beer. I popped the can open and took a long, refreshing sip. The fizz cleared my senses and helped me think straight.

I had to get out of there.

I grabbed my phone and texted Tawni to meet me at the spa in twenty minutes. I needed some serious relaxation therapy if I was gonna be dealing with Chad for…I don't even wanna know how long.

I grabbed my new Coach purse, slipped on my black flip-flops and stomped out the door without any sort of explanation to Chad.

Just because we were "married" didn't mean I was gonna start acting like it.

* * *

**A/N: I know what you're all thinking…yeah, Sonny, go to the spa and don't tell Chad! That'll show him! ...Haha, Don't worry, they're not done discussing the marriage quite yet.**

**Or you may be wondering how long Chad's charm will last.**

**So yeah…review! **


	6. let's make a deal

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys!**

* * *

Now that Sonny had left, I needed something to do. I wasn't going to sit around her house like an idiot.

Might as well unpack…I went out to the limo and brought some of my luggage from Paris inside. Not so much that she'd freak out, but enough to get by for the next few days. I grabbed my toothbrush and my special whitening toothpaste and went to her bathroom.

Something sparkled on the marble counter. I looked closer and realized it was the wedding ring I'd gotten her. Great, she'd already taken it off. I really hoped no reporters would notice that if she went out today…

I still couldn't believe I'd gotten myself into this. Note to self: next time a girl wants to get wasted at a bar and let other guys take advantage of her, LET HER DO IT.

After I finished brushing my stunningly white teeth, I headed back to the kitchen and checked the time. 12:47. Damn, I really had overslept. Not as much as I did when I was a kid, but still…

I looked around her kitchen for coffee. After about five minutes of searching, I gave up. Maybe she was out of coffee. And hey…that would give me something to do. I'd go to the store and get some coffee. And maybe some more food…I really didn't think Sonny would be willing to cook for me.

I put on my trusty baseball-cap-n'-sunglasses disguise and hurried down to my limo. I had to make this quick—if Sonny came back before me, she might lock me out again.

Turns out my limo driver wasn't pleased to have spent the night in the car. So he drove me back to my house to get one of my cars. So, I was pretty happy. It'd been so long since I'd seen my vast mansion and my gorgeous silver convertible…

I jumped inside and sped to the store. Then I started wondering if Sonny actually bought my love-once-marry-once,-that's-how-I-was-raised crap.

I mean, that stuff about my parents and grandparents being married forever was true, but it's not like I really cared about that.

When I got back to Sonny's apartment, her car was already there. I went inside, and the door was open, so I hurried in as quickly as I could.

"Where have you been?" Sonny's voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Wait…she actually cared about where I was?

"Store. You were out of coffee." I shrugged and put the grocery bags on the kitchen counter.

"Well, couldn't you have stayed there longer? I was about to lock the door!" she placed her hands on her hips and glared at me.

I let out a little laugh. "Aw, come on…"

"No, I'm serious. You know what? Just…don't even talk to me!" her face turned red, and she sounded absolutely livid.

Well, okay then. I silently made my coffee and sat down at the table. I could feel Sonny glare at me from time to time as she wandered aimlessly around the kitchen. At first, I thought she was joking around about keeping the door locked, but apparently, she still hated me. I wondered how long I could stay here without driving her completely insane.

I knew we still had to wait for the press to get over us being married, but I wasn't about to tell Sonny that. She'd think I "cared too much about my image" or something, and that would give her even more of a reason to throw me out.

Still, if I was pissing her off this much by just being here, maybe I _should_ leave. Aw, who was I kidding? I wasn't gonna leave. Sonny could deal with me for a few months…right?

I sipped my coffee wordlessly. The amount of hostility in the room was really starting to wear on me. Sonny finally decided to break the silence.

"What's all this?" she eyed my grocery bags, which had a lot more than coffee spilling onto the counter.

My bored-and-slightly-afraid expression quickly morphed into a smirk. She couldn't even stay mad at me for ten minutes! Yep…that's how smooth I was.

"I knew it! You couldn't even go ten minutes without talking to me!" my smirk was now a full-out grin.

"Man, can't you cook at all?" she asked, refusing to let me change the subject. She sifted through the frozen dinners and packs of Ramen noodles I'd bought.

"Actually, no. That's why I have a chef. You know, you could come back to my house and he could cook for us," I offered.

"Or _YOU_ could just go back to your house!" she shot back, even more irritated then before.

Ouch. I should've seen that one coming…

Sonny was really close to losing it (and possibly kicking me out), so I had to do some serious charming now.

"Okay, tell you what," I began calmly. "If you don't love me by six months, which I know you will, then I'll leave," I said confidently.

Man, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of this sooner! She'd definitely get sick of me in six months, we'd get the divorce—or annulment, whatever—and the press wouldn't make it a huge thing because a lot of Hollywood marriages ended before six months. It was perfect! Now I just needed Sonny's approval…

"No way, I'm not waiting six months!" she scoffed. "Plus, it'll take six months to end the marriage eventually if you don't sign the annulment papers before then."

"Four?" I tried.

"I don't think so."

"Come on, work with me here." I pleaded, hoping to God she wouldn't reduce me to begging. Chad Dylan Cooper does _not_ beg.

She sighed. "Fine. I'll give you _one_ month."

No way. One month was way too short. The press would definitely get suspicious. But I guess it was better than nothing…

"Okay! That could work, no problem…" I trailed off, trying to still sound confident despite the major setback. "Of course, this month has already started, so we can start from next month, right? I asked, trying to buy some extra time.

Sonny rolled her eyes. "Fine." She sighed.

Whoa, did I just see her smile at me? I must be imagining things.

"Ya know, unless the environment is still in danger," I said cheekily. "I wouldn't want to do it any more harm by driving all the way back to my house," I explained, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face.

Sonny actually laughed at that one. "Don't push it."

She patted me on the shoulder and left the kitchen, still smiling.

"Come on, you can deal with me…it's not easy being green, ya know!" I called after her.

Wait…were we just flirting? I mean, I had been planning to charm her, but I never expected her to flirt back. There was no way she'd actually fall in love with me…right? Did I actually want her to? …No. I wasn't going back there.

Still, I couldn't help but feel extremely relieved that she was going to let me stay. But I only wanted to stay with her so the press wouldn't get suspicious about us. No other intentions.

But then why did I feel so good about Sonny flirting with me? And more than anything, I suddenly wanted her to forgive me and keep being nice to me.

She said she didn't remember what happened five years ago, but I still hadn't forgiven myself.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

I answered it with a "hey, CDC here."

It was that Lindsey chick from the airport I'd made a date with. She was screaming at me for being a jackass and agreeing to go on a date with her when I was about to get married. I had to cover the earpiece so Sonny wouldn't hear her from the next room.

Guess she heard about the whole marriage thing.

Looks like I won't be dating for a while.

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**A/N: so yeah…interesting chapter, huh? Review!**

**Hmm, I think I'll update sometime between tomorrow and never. :]**


	7. that's how married couples act, right?

**A/N: Oh my gosh, this story's supposed to be angst-y, really. But it somehow just ends up being funny…(sigh)**

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Sonny's shadow fell over the couch where I was sitting and she looked like she was about to give me a piece of her mind.

"Well, it's been over a week since you've been living here and all you've done is sit around and watch TV." she glared at me and put her hands on her hips.

I sighed. Well, technically, that wasn't _all_ I was doing. I also ate and slept (on the couch) and showered (not in her bathroom) and checked my email, and bickered with Sonny occasionally.

I turned down the volume and talked over _Two and a Half Men_'s laugh track.

"So?" I asked, wondering what I'd done now.

"Well, if you're really trying to make me 'fall in love with you', you're doing a lousy job," she pouted.

Oh, right. I was supposed to be 'winning her over' or something. But at the same time, I didn't really want to be married to her, I was just doing it for my reputation.

Boy, this could get complicated. I had to look like I was trying, but at the same time, make her _not _love me.

Still, I really wanted to watch TV. I finally had a break from filming, and I just wanted to relax.

But no. I was married now. I had to man up.

"Fine. What do you wanna do?" I switched off the TV and looked over at Sonny.

"Um, well…we could talk…" she bit her lip nervously.

"Yeah…or we could go have sex." I smiled mischievously. "I mean, it's about time. We _are_ married now."

"Chad!" she whined. Guess she didn't find it as funny as I did.

"Relax, I'm just messin' around," I assured her. "You know I'm a nice guy…"

Just then, my cell phone went off, and my latest ringtone started blaring.

_Yo biiitch, I'm gonna slap you up, take your insides out like a fresh cream pie,_

_Yo biiitch, I'mma slap you up, turn you inside out and upside down, _

_Yo biiitch, I'mma slap you up, slap you up… _

I fumbled to silence my phone, but it was too late. She'd already heard it, and now had an eyebrow raised at me.

I cringed. This was unfortunate on so many levels.

"I mean, compared to the guy that wrote this song, I'm practically a saint, right?" I smirked, hoping she'd laugh.

She did not look amused.

The obnoxious ringtone continued to blast from my phone.

"Uh, I guess I better take this," I said lamely.

"You're skating on thin ice, Cooper. Thin ice," she stated and finally left the room.

I quickly answered my phone. It was my stupid agent, Jeff.

I groaned. I really didn't wanna hear from him right now.

"What's your deal, Cooper? You've been married to this girl for ten days, and you've given the press nothing. For crying out loud, they don't even know if you've gone on a honeymoon or not! Sooner or later, they're gonna figure out that you're hiding something."

"What do you want me to do?" I sighed. This was getting beyond frustrating.

"Take her out somewhere. Smile for the fans, and act like you're having the time of your life. Geez, do I have to spell it out for you?" his words were harsh, and his New York accent made them even sharper.

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled.

After I hung up, I quickly changed my ringtone to _He Could Be the One_ by Hannah Montana—or Miley Cyrus. (Did you know they're the same person?)

Maybe when Sonny heard it, she'd realize that _I was the one_. Yes, I know, I'm an idiot. But hey, it would make a better impression than my last ringtone!

I left the living room and went to go look for Sonny.

"Hey, Sonny, let's go!" I called out, knocking her bedroom door.

"Go where?" she asked, emerging from her room.

"Wherever you want. I guess we should go on our first date," I smiled.

"It's about time. I mean, we are married now." she smiled back.

"So, where do you wanna go?" I asked.

"Well, we could to Joe and Chelsea's engagement party…they invited me, so obviously, they must've invited you too," she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I've always been more popular than you," I smirked.

"Whatever. Anyway, we're supposed to dress up, so I need to go buy a new dress…and I'm sure you probably need some stuff too…" Sonny trailed off, eying me cautiously.

"Oh God. You're not gonna drag me clothes shopping, are you?" I groaned in disgust. I may have liked getting clothes and looking all pretty when I was younger, but after all those years of Mackenzie Falls, I'd honestly gotten tired of it.

"Why does it matter what we're doing as long as we're doing it together?" She looked at me innocently.

Wait, did she actually want to make this work? Was she…_falling_ for me? For some reason, I couldn't even bring myself to ask her that. I guess I was just afraid of the answer.

But was I afraid for it to be a yes or a no?

That was one thing even I couldn't figure out.

* * *

It had been four hours. _Four hours_ since we'd entered Bloomingdale's and she still hadn't picked out anything. I'd gone for the first dressy-looking thing I saw in the men's section, and I was done in five minutes.

I waited on the green leather couch outside the changing room and checked my text messages and emails for the hundredth time that day.

We were the only ones there, since I'd gotten the security guard to make all the crazy fans go away. And now, I was getting extremely bored.

"You know, I still don't get why we have to go to that stupid Jonas Brother's engagement party." I complained to the changing room door.

"Come on, Chelsea Staub's a good friend of mine," Sonny said from inside.

"So? It's not like it's gonna last. Joe's such a player. First Taylor, then Camilla, then Demi, and now Chelsea. She's just another phase," I said dismissively.

"Look who's talking. You were a player, and you're trying to change, right?"

"Uh, sure," I said solemnly.

I sighed and stared at the smooth white tiles on the floor. Maybe I should tell her my real motives for staying married to her. If she didn't know soon, she'd think I was in love with her or something. And that wouldn't be fair to her at all. She deals with paparazzi too, just not as much as me. She might understand…or not. I shuddered just thinking about it.

I stared at my reflection on my phone screen.

To tell or not to tell?

"Hey, Chad, do me a favor and tell me what you think of this dress," she opened the door and stepped out.

Oh God. She was wearing a gorgeous (and impressively fitting) jade green strapless dress and her long wavy hair cascaded down her back.

_Be cool, Chad!_ I warned myself.

* * *

**Sonny's Point of View:**

"So? How do I look?" I prodded him and waited. Ugh, I hated having to fish for compliments.

And he wasn't even looking at me! He was still texting someone on his phone.

"Perfect," he replied in a monotone voice.

"You're not even looking at me!" I scolded in frustration.

"I don't have to. You always look perfect." A smile started to twitch at the corners of his mouth, but he was still looking down.

I tried to snatch his phone away from him, but he quickly put it in his back pocket. He finally looked up at me in the process, but still didn't say anything.

"Come on, we're _married_ now," I groaned.

"Exactly! Isn't this how married couples are supposed to act?" he grinned.

"It's a little early for that, don' cha think?" I snapped.

He shrugged, still refusing to compliment me properly.

"Hey, you're the one that wanted to be married to me so badly. So say something nice about me!" I whined, feeling like a thirteen-year-old brat who was desperate to get her boyfriend to notice her. Ugh!

"Fine. You have sexy hair and you look like an amazing porn star," he stated bluntly. I could tell he was trying to keep a straight face. "I'm guessing," he said quickly.

I was trying to look disgusted, but I accidentally let out a laugh. How did he manage to say something that perverted and still make it funny?

"You're unbelievable."

"I know," he smiled. "You know, you should check out my new ringtone. Want me to play it?" he grinned.

"It's the only way we'll ever hear it," I smiled at my clever comeback.

"Are you saying I have no life and no one calls me?" he looked at me in disbelief.

"Well, maybe your mom..." I smirked, and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you're so funny, you should be a comedienne!" he said sarcastically.

"Well, I did work on a comedy show. Remember _So Random_?" I asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

"Never heard of it," he grinned. "Anyway, listen to this."

The ringtone blared from his phone.

_He's got somethin' special!_

_He's got somethin' special!_

_I can hardly breathe, somethin's been tellin' me he could be the one._

_He could be the one,_

_He could be the one..._

I burst out laughing. "Well, congrats on finding a ringtone that's even worse than the last one!"

His face fell. "What? Why?" he looked bewildered.

I paused to laugh at the look on his face. Oh, Chad...

"Actually, I can really relate to that song!" I chirped.

"Really?"

"No!" I burst out laughing again. "It makes you seem like a nine-year-old girl!"

He just growled and waited for me to change back.

I finally decided to buy that dress, and Chad looked relieved. On the way home, I couldn't stop thinking about how much he'd changed.

If we were still teenagers, and I asked him how I looked in that dress, he would've tried to be cool, but he'd still be totally flustered. Then he'd get mad at himself and say something like "it's all right…I've seen better" and end up hurting my feelings.

Now, he seemed totally unfazed. He'd probably seen lots of hot girls in Paris, so he must be numb to it by now. And he managed to come up with a semi-appropriate response without seeming totally whipped.

There were so many other things that had changed, and I wasn't sure if they were for the better.

Regardless, I found myself wanting to spend even more time with him.

I sighed. I couldn't believe I was falling for this guy.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh, please leave some reviews if you liked this story. I'm not sure if I should continue at this point.**

**I can also take suggestions, if you guys have any ideas on what should happen next. :)**


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